Empires of Twilight: Ayrdonya

Geography

Corrinthius is located in the northern hemisphere of Ayrdonya and is approximately the same size as North America. Due to subtle variations of orbit, tilt, and planet diam-eter, the majority of Corrinthius is a temperate zone from Conthul’s Fingers to the northern edge of the continent. The farther one is from the equator, however, the longer and harsher the winter months. Near the northern edge of Corrinthius is frozen tundra that rarely thaws.

Surrounded on all sides by ocean, Corrinthius is an isolate continent whose only non-native explorers, the Tunariians, long ago abandoned there settlements there. They left for good reason since to the south are the warm, creature-infested depths of the Plusorian Ocean, to the north the frigid North Ocean, to the east the seemingly infinite expanse and titanic waves of the Endless Ocean, and to the west the Murseatic Ocean containing the steam-enshrouded, magma filled Aphaellian Rift. Few on Corrin-thius know that at least one other continent, Tunarii (see Other Lands), exists on Ayrdonya.

Lower Corrinthius is vaguely similar in shape and nearly identical in size to the continental United States. The climate is nearly uniform across the subcontinent with warm summers (average high 80° F) and cold winters (average low 20° F). Summer tends to last from the end of Mitto (May) through mid-Aestas (September) and winter from mid-Nivosus (November) through the end of Caligo (February). Autumn is a time of gradually decreasing temperatures and cold rains with the occasional summer-like day. Winter usually arrives in the form a snow-laden blizzard in the cooler north or freezing rain in the warmer south. Long downpours and gray skies are the hallmark of spring in much of Lower Corrinthius, as are floods along coastal and lowland areas resulting from melting snows in the mountains. As with any large geographic areas, there are scores of exceptions to these climatic generalities. The general rule of thumb, though, is the further south one travels, the milder the winters and hotter the summers.

The descriptions given below give a general overview of massive geographical areas of Lower Corrinthius. It is not uncommon that within these areas can be found other types of terrain, or even significantly different conditions, than those provided. These brief descriptions are only meant to give a broad perspective of the subcontinent.